ROKG SUPPORTS USG CLUSTER MUNITIONS POLICY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001329 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2017 TAGS: PARM MARR MCAP PREL KS SUBJECT: ROKG SUPPORTS USG CLUSTER MUNITIONS POLICY Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) On April 26 Acting DAS Frank J. Ruggiero met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) Senior Coordinator for International Organizations Hwang Joon-kook and Kim Jong-hoon, Deputy Director of the International Disarmament Division of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to seek ROKG support of U.S. efforts to return the international discussion on cluster munitions (CM) to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) framework. Acting DAS Ruggiero also informed the ROKG the United States will attend the June 2007 CCW experts working group and is considering a negotiating mandate on CM in the CCW. Director Park Chul-min and Kim Hye-jin of MOFAT's Nonproliferation and Disarmament Division also attended the meeting. ¶2. (C) Hwang noted that the ROKG shared USG concerns about both humanitarian and military utility issues regarding CM. Hwang stressed that it was very important to strike a delicate balance between the two. Hwang said the ROKG shares the U.S. position that the CCW is the proper forum to discuss CM, and welcomed the U.S. willingness to consider a broad negotiating mandate in the CCW. ¶3. (U) Acting DAS Ruggiero outlined U.S. views on any agreement on CM, including: no restriction on CM used against valid military targets; link CM reliability to "tested functionality" only; tie the function rate requirement to acquisitions of new types of CM; have a suitable transition period for implementation; preserve the rights of storage in forward deployed areas and to transship through territory of agreement parties; and preserve the right of alliance members to train and operate jointly. ¶4. (C) Hwang and Kim concurred that the ROKG requirements for any international agreement would be similar to those of the United States. In particular, both emphasized the ROKG need for a suitable transition period and an agreement that tied the function rate requirement to only new acquisitions. Kim said the ROK military was not in a position to dismantle its current CM stockpiles, prohibit CM production or development, or replace their stockpiles with effective alternative weapon systems for at least the next 20 years. Kim said that more than 90 percent of the ROK military's CM stockpile are of the "dumb" variety and the cost of retrofitting them would be prohibitive. He noted, however, that the ROK military is pursuing CM alternatives for the longer-term. ¶5. (C) While supporting the general U.S. position, the ROK delegation pointed out three areas in which they believe others' actions could undermine U.S. efforts: -- Hwang warned that the United States' willingness to consider a negotiating mandate in the CCW will be seen by others as merely a delay tactic to counter the "Oslo process," rather than a sincere attempt to address the CM issue. -- Park explained that some countries, notably the Netherlands, were concerned that haste in pursuing an agreement on CM in the CCW (likely resulting in a new Protocol on CM) would shift attention away from implementation of Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War. Park said that the ROKG wants to see Protocol V fully implemented as well. -- Despite a lack of significant U.S. domestic political pressure at present, Hwang felt that negative public opinion in the U.S. could still develop, as it did in the landmine issue, and put pressure on the USG to change their position on CM. ¶6. (U) Acting DAS Ruggiero has cleared this message. VERSHBOW